Shallow M5.5 earthquake hits near Ruteng, Indonesia

A shallow earthquake measuring M5.5 occurred at 01:41 UTC on September 21, 2026, approximately 35 km (22 miles) north-northeast of Ruteng, Indonesia. The earthquake had a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles).

The coordinates of the event were 120.6°E and 8.3°S, placing it inland in the Flores region of Eastern Indonesia, a seismically active area. Ruteng is the nearest significant settlement to the epicenter.

Given its location inland on the island of Flores, nearby infrastructure may include regional roads, local airports serving Ruteng, and transportation corridors connecting rural communities. Major national infrastructure is not immediately adjacent but could experience weak shaking.

There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its inland location and available data.

USGS issued a green alert for this event, indicating a low likelihood of casualties or damage. The maximum estimated intensity reached between VI and VII on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. The significance index is 465 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude, felt reports, and estimated impact.

Flores and the larger Indonesian archipelago are located along the complex juncture of the Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates, an area known for frequent seismic activity due to subduction processes and numerous fault lines crossing the region.

This information was last updated at 02:02 UTC on September 21, 2026.